The Gulf Coast’s economy and environment were hard hit by the BP oil
disaster. Though no oil reached the shores of the Tampa Bay area,
our small businesses, hotels and tourism industry suffered. I am
committed to restoring our environment and making sure our
businesses recuperate from the devastation.

That is why one of my top priorities this congressional term was to
direct 80 percent of the fines and penalties to be paid by BP for
violations of the Clean Water Act to restoring the Gulf Coast….

Drilling too close to shore imperils our economy, environment and
security. This disaster in the Gulf of Mexico proves that oil
drilling should not be allowed even one mile closer to the west
coast of Florida. It is simply not worth the risk.

And the Sabal Trail gas pipeline is simply not worth the risk
when Florida can move directly to solar power.

St. Petersburg Office:
University of South Florida — St. Pete
Williams House
511 Second St. S.
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Phone: (727) 873-2817
Office Hours: Please call in advance.
Note: Please mail items to the Tampa District Office.

There’s no question that folks in Georgia are worried about energy
issues, from rising power bills, to reducing greenhouse gasses, to
lessening America’s dependence on foreign oil. That’s why I’ve
hosted Energy Expos in Augusta, Savannah, and Statesboro and had
town hall meetings in every county in the 12th District, so I have
time to listen to the folks I represent….

While I believe that global climate change is a huge concern, and we
need to do everything we can to create new sources of energy that
are clean, cheap, and abundant….

…investment in research and development for clean energy and
lower-emission automobiles….

He’s very behind the times about solar power and offshore wind:

This is difficult for states like Georgia, where there isn’t an
abundance of wind or solar power.

But this could be an opportunity for him to learn more,
and at least he doesn’t explicitly say he’s for gas pipelines.

The first regime, which applies to IRC 501(c)(3) public charities,
permits these organizations to lobby so long as they do not devote a
substantial part” of their activities to attempting to
influence legislation.

501(c)(3) organizations can, and often should, lobby at all levels
of government. Federal tax law has always permitted some lobbying by
nonprofits. The 1976 lobbying tax law passed by Congress made that
expressly clear. The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) followed with
implementing regulations. The federal government clearly supports
lobbying by 501(c)(3) organizations. Together, the law and
regulations provide wide latitude for 501(c)(3) organizations to
lobby.

The law makes it very clear how much a 501(c)(3) organization can
spend on lobbying—up to $1 million depending on the size of
the organization—if the 501(h) election is made. The law also
makes it clear which activities are lobbying and which are not. For
example, lobbying occurs only when there is an expenditure of money
by the 501(c)(3) for the purpose of attempting to influence
legislation. Where there is no expenditure by the organization for
lobbying (such as lobbying by members or volunteers), there is no
lobbying by the organization.

The right of citizens to petition their government is basic to our
democratic way of life, and associations, including 501(c)(3)s, are
one of the most effective vehicles for making use of citizen
participation in shaping public policy. Fortunately, the legislation
passed by Congress in 1976 makes it possible for 501(c)(3)s to lobby
freely for the causes, communities and constituencies they serve.

Generally, organizations that make the 501(h) election under the
1976 lobbying law may spend 20% of the first $500,000 of their
annual expenditures on lobbying ($100,000), 15% of the next
$500,000, and so on, up to $1 million dollars.